Before they were stud tight ends, Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham were more athlete than football player.

I was thinking that as well.

Egnew showed in college that he has good hands. Mizzou plays in a pretty good football division. Hopefully the "light" has come on for him. At some point these players with "potential" on our roster are going to have to start showing some consistency. One player that I am talking about is Clay as he's had 2 years to show us more than a glimmer.

Dave tell me .... have any good TE's come out of Missouri? I don't know what I'm supposed to take from a guy who really had one stellar year in a wide open offense running basically one route. He's athletic no doubt, but he's a project in every sense of the word. This is not somebody I'm counting on at this point.

Dave tell me .... have any good TE's come out of Missouri? I don't know what I'm supposed to take from a guy who really had one stellar year in a wide open offense running basically one route. He's athletic no doubt, but he's a project in every sense of the word. This is not somebody I'm counting on at this point.

I'm thinking it was more of a confidence issue than toughness...Soliai took time hopefully the coaches can get to Egnew the same way.

Soliai played his rookie year. It was never about toughness with him. It was about giving full effort 100% of the time and keeping his weight down.

Rich wrote:

Obviously, Egnew realized he had an issue with toughness and he went to one of the best places to address that issue.

It wasn't just toughness with him, but clearly he lacked any of it. Per the Herald, during training camp last year: "He's dropped passes, missed assignments and generally not played very fast. He has what I call the thousand yard stare, like he is overmatched with what's going on."

Sherman even made a comment during the season how they didn't have time to teach him weekly what he needed to know cumulatively in order to get on the field. The guy is just as raw as it gets. Again, he had his one great season in college based on pure athleticism. He was a one tool player. Reality has set in here in the NFL for him as Mizzou never even got close to preparing him for what it would be like.

Back on the toughness subject. Man some people either are born with it or the don't have it. Can it be developed? It can, I know guys that served in the military for a few years where that was the case ..... but in one offseason simply sparring with MMA trainers? You're talking about re-wiring a man's mental capacity that to this point had been 23 years in the making.

Rock, I read all of what your saying & agree with some of it, but at the end of the day none of us really know whats going on with Egnew coming into this year, however we do all know he was a deer in headlights last season, but at least the guy is seemingly preparing for this season, working out hard in the off months and making strides to improve. I think that is all we can get out of it at this point and until we see him in live action and pads on.

Rock, I read all of what your saying & agree with some of it, but at the end of the day none of us really know whats going on with Egnew coming into this year, however we do all know he was a deer in headlights last season, but at least the guy is seemingly preparing for this season, working out hard in the off months and making strides to improve. I think that is all we can get out of it at this point and until we see him in live action and pads on.

I disagree. The theme as being reported by pretty much every writer that had seen him and from Sherman's outburst on Hard Knocks, it's pretty evident who he was coming in.

I think it's great he's working to improve .... but making quote unquote strides? That'll be the case when in training camp he's not being planted on his butt trying to sustain blocks. That'll be the case when he's contributing consistently in the passing game. For now, everything has to be taken with a grain of salt. How many times have we been through this with players before the pads come on? Media's gotta report something though.

That about sums it up and whether it is Egnew or some of these other guys that HAVE to step forward and actually show something, August will tell us all a lot more. We basically speculate how things will go, but I definitely agree that he and others have to start proving it.

Like you, I have been waiting way too many years of "hoping" this guy or that guy does good or better, I think we are all due to finally start seeing something good happen to this team.

I am certainly sick of the losing and being a doormat to the dang Patriots.

Dave tell me .... have any good TE's come out of Missouri? I don't know what I'm supposed to take from a guy who really had one stellar year in a wide open offense running basically one route. He's athletic no doubt, but he's a project in every sense of the word. This is not somebody I'm counting on at this point.

And this is where Ireland's idiocy comes into play. A "project" is not something you use a third round pick on.

People can change. People can turn things around, and it is even possible to do it rather quickly. Does "showing strides" during OTA mean he has done it? Of course not. But, maybe the lightbulb did come on. Maybe something clicked. It could be a sign he is at least headed in the right direction. It's better than hearing he isn't doing well in OTA.

People can change. People can turn things around, and it is even possible to do it rather quickly. Does "showing strides" during OTA mean he has done it? Of course not. But, maybe the lightbulb did come on. Maybe something clicked. It could be a sign he is at least headed in the right direction. It's better than hearing he isn't doing well in OTA.

Why didn't they cut him? Because he was a third round draft pick! Pretty simple stuff here. Even as pathetic as he was last year, you still have to try and give him another year.

People can change. People can turn things around, and it is even possible to do it rather quickly. Does "showing strides" during OTA mean he has done it? Of course not. But, maybe the lightbulb did come on. Maybe something clicked. It could be a sign he is at least headed in the right direction. It's better than hearing he isn't doing well in OTA.

Why didn't they cut him? Because he was a third round draft pick! Pretty simple stuff here. Even as pathetic as he was last year, you still have to try and give him another year.

According to Tony Softli of 101 ESPN St. Louis, Brian Quick has been "putting on a show" at OTAs. In Friday's session alone, Quick caught "17 to 18 passes all over the field." Softli mentioned that the second-year receiver was reeling in passes in the "red zone, middle of the field, on crossing routes, and deep down outside." Quick recently admitted that he struggled with the playbook as a rookie. That, coupled with the immense jump from Appalachian State to the NFL, contributed to his minuscule 2012 stat line. We have Quick as our No. 56 receiver at the moment, but he has a boat load of upside in what should be a high-octane St. Louis attack

According to Tony Softli of 101 ESPN St. Louis, Brian Quick has been "putting on a show" at OTAs. In Friday's session alone, Quick caught "17 to 18 passes all over the field." Softli mentioned that the second-year receiver was reeling in passes in the "red zone, middle of the field, on crossing routes, and deep down outside." Quick recently admitted that he struggled with the playbook as a rookie. That, coupled with the immense jump from Appalachian State to the NFL, contributed to his minuscule 2012 stat line. We have Quick as our No. 56 receiver at the moment, but he has a boat load of upside in what should be a high-octane St. Louis attack

.

Oh well that solves it .... if Brian Quick is putting on a show in OTA's it definitely signals Egnew having a huge year this year. LOL

People can change. People can turn things around, and it is even possible to do it rather quickly. Does "showing strides" during OTA mean he has done it? Of course not. But, maybe the lightbulb did come on. Maybe something clicked. It could be a sign he is at least headed in the right direction. It's better than hearing he isn't doing well in OTA.

Why didn't they cut him? Because he was a third round draft pick! Pretty simple stuff here. Even as pathetic as he was last year, you still have to try and give him another year.

According to Tony Softli of 101 ESPN St. Louis, Brian Quick has been "putting on a show" at OTAs. In Friday's session alone, Quick caught "17 to 18 passes all over the field." Softli mentioned that the second-year receiver was reeling in passes in the "red zone, middle of the field, on crossing routes, and deep down outside." Quick recently admitted that he struggled with the playbook as a rookie. That, coupled with the immense jump from Appalachian State to the NFL, contributed to his minuscule 2012 stat line. We have Quick as our No. 56 receiver at the moment, but he has a boat load of upside in what should be a high-octane St. Louis attack

Dave tell me .... have any good TE's come out of Missouri? I don't know what I'm supposed to take from a guy who really had one stellar year in a wide open offense running basically one route. He's athletic no doubt, but he's a project in every sense of the word. This is not somebody I'm counting on at this point.

And this is where Ireland's idiocy comes into play. A "project" is not something you use a third round pick on.

Correct. Only immediate starters that will have All Pro careers and make it into Canton get picked in the third round.